{"id":2387312,"date":"2025-01-07T10:20:02","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T15:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-scrambles-to-overcome-trump-agenda-paralysis-before-inauguration-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-01-07T10:21:10","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T15:21:10","slug":"gop-scrambles-to-overcome-trump-agenda-paralysis-before-inauguration-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-scrambles-to-overcome-trump-agenda-paralysis-before-inauguration-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP scrambles to overcome Trump agenda paralysis before inauguration &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-scrambles-to-overcome-trump-agenda-paralysis-before-inauguration-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2387312&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Congressional Republicans are trying to resolve \u2064a deadlock\u2063 over\u2063 president-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s agenda just days before he takes office. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker\u2064 Mike Johnson are in daily discussions\u2062 about whether to push for immediate border and \u2063energy reforms or delay them in favor of a\u2063 complete package that <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">includes \u2063tax cuts<\/a>. Thune advocates for swift\u2064 action, arguing it would provide an early\u2063 win for trump,\u2063 while Johnson is cautious, given the slim Republican majority in the House. Tensions rose when Trump endorsed a single comprehensive bill approach, which was communicated\u2062 by \u2063Johnson\u200b during a \u2064GOP\u200d retreat.\u2063 However, the Senate remains skeptical of this strategy, and trump\u200b has expressed a willingness to consider \u200bboth approaches. Thune plans to\u200d meet with Johnson \u200bagain to further discuss their options.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">GOP scrambles to overcome Trump agenda paralysis before inauguration<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1929378\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Congressional Republicans are working to break an impasse over President-elect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump&rsquo;s<\/a> agenda with a flurry of meetings and phone calls days before his return to the White House.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Senate Majority Leader <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-thune\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">John Thune<\/a> (R-SD) has been in touch with Trump and House Speaker <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-johnson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Mike Johnson<\/a> (R-LA) almost daily as Republicans debate whether to pass border and energy reforms right away or wait several months so they can be joined with difficult-to-negotiate tax cuts.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3220465\/what-trump-promised-day-one-white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>WHAT TRUMP HAS PROMISED TO DO ON DAY 1 IN THE OVAL OFFICE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Thune supports the first approach, arguing it would give Trump a victory within weeks of taking office on Jan. 20. But Johnson, navigating a one<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-outraise-democrats-across-the-board-in-january\/\" title=\"Republicans Outraise Democrats Across the Board in January\">-seat majority<\/a> in the House, has sided with tax writers in his chamber who believe the border can serve as a deal sweetener if it&rsquo;s bundled with their legislation.<\/p>\n<p>Thune faced a setback on Sunday when Trump announced his support for &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/113778957475969583\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">one powerful bill<\/a>.&rdquo; Johnson relayed the decision hours earlier <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3276732\/johnson-timeline-pass-budget-reconciliation-bill-trump-agenda\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">during a House GOP retreat<\/a> at Fort McNair, seemingly ending weeks of divisions within the conference.<\/p>\n<p>But the Senate has not yet bought into that strategy, while Trump himself seemed to waver in a Monday radio interview. He told commentator Hugh Hewitt that he views the one-bill approach as &ldquo;cleaner&rdquo; but is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3277068\/trump-softens-one-big-reconciliation-bill-open-two-track-process\/\">open to either path<\/a> forward.<\/p>\n<p>Thune told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> he would meet with Johnson on Tuesday for their third conversation in the last several days. He attended the Fort McNair retreat and then spoke with Johnson over the phone Monday morning.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think both of us are trying to understand that we have diverse caucuses and different dynamics,&rdquo; Thune said in an interview.<\/p>\n<p>Trump, for his part, spent Sunday night on the phone or texting with each congressional leader.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have ongoing and constant dialogue about these issues,&rdquo; Johnson said of Trump on Monday. &ldquo;And what he wants to ensure is that we deliver the America First agenda. That is our mission, that is our intent.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Thune appeared to soften his position on timing, telling reporters on Monday that &ldquo;the process issues, to me, are a lot less important than the result.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Senate Republicans were coming to terms with the reality that, mathematically, it will be difficult for the House to pass one, let alone two, packages in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson won a second term as speaker last Friday, but not without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3276124\/how-johnson-won-gop-holdouts-second-term\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">two hours of suspense<\/a> over whether <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mccarthy-touts-early-house-momentum-as-biggest-challenges-lie-ahead\/\" title=\"McCarthy touts early House momentum as biggest challenges lie ahead\">hard-line members<\/a> would deny him the votes.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The House is a very thoughtful but dysfunctional body right now,&rdquo; said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), an ally of both Thune and Johnson.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;All I&rsquo;m saying is that I know the Senate can deliver whatever the House sends over,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Senate leadership hopes to huddle with Trump on Wednesday when he is in town for former President Jimmy Carter&rsquo;s funeral.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the chairwoman of the Republican Policy Committee, invited Trump for a meeting on his legislative priorities, according to a source familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, for now, there is nothing approaching unanimity in the Senate. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who runs the Budget Committee, warned of &ldquo;national security implications&rdquo; if Congress delays the border portion, which Thune <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3248390\/donald-trump-senate-republicans-policy-retreat-phone-call\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">hopes to pair<\/a> with additional defense spending.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), the chief tax writer in the Senate, has stayed neutral in the process.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I know there&rsquo;s been a discussion between the speaker and the leader and the president on that, and I basically have just made it clear that I&rsquo;ll be ready to go with whatever they decide,&rdquo; Crapo said.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Over in the House, Republicans are planning a series of trips down to Trump&rsquo;s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.<\/p>\n<p>On Friday, Trump will <a href=\"https:\/\/punchbowl.news\/article\/washington\/congress-set-to-certify-trump-election-victory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">reportedly host<\/a> members of the Freedom Caucus, followed by a Saturday meeting with blue-state Republicans demanding changes to SALT, a tax deduction for high-income earners.<\/p>\n<p><em>Ramsey Touchberry and Cami Mondeaux contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1929378\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1929378\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GOP races to resolve Trump agenda deadlock before inauguration<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":2387313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/010624_THUNE-10-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6203,15377,5894,32891,32076],"class_list":["post-2387312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-gop","tag-inauguration","tag-politics","tag-trump-agenda","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/010624_THUNE-10-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2387312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2387312"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2387312\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2387316,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2387312\/revisions\/2387316"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2387313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2387312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2387312"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2387312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}